Villains Tavern

Craft beers, craft cocktails, mason jars, gothic looking mirror that brings out the narcissist in everyone, and live music makes this a great stop on anyone’s bar crawl. Well dressed professionals, hipsters, musicians, hustlers, a diverse crowd all having a good time.
Located in the industrial district of Los Angeles by the LA River, you get a good view of the corporate Lucky Brand building, and parking is plentiful. Area seems a little seedy when walking over from the Arts District, so make sure you stay with your group when staggering over from the Arts District.
We made this out last stop on a bar crawl, and it was a good one. Strong mixed drinks for some and an ice cold Dogfish 90-​minute for me. Music was on the lines of indie rock /​/​soft punk, and it was not over-​the-​top, nor was it elevator music. The band had good vocals and the PA system was loud and clear.
Overall, had a great time. If you enjoy live music, you will enjoy this venue. Music changes up, so you may want to check their website to see what band will be playing. Drinks are strong, beer menu is great, and prices are in alignment with the surrounding areas.
Enjoy!

Such a chill spot!!! The vibes are great, big drink options on tap, live music, food truck, what more can you ask for?!
⁵⁄₅

God, I’m so grateful to have friends that actually know where to go and enjoy a drink. A visit to Villians was the by product of me trying to find a place where it’s different, new, and some place I could go that’s not your everyday bar.
What’s neat about the place is that’s on a main street, so it’s easy to pass it up driving by unless you know what it is you’re looking for. The entire spot reminds me of a cross between a pop-​up carnival and a old style saloon, either way it seems to work for me. They used lid-​less mason jars as cups for your booze, but it didn’t bother me much, I kind of fancied them. The mood is dimly lit with a side of western frontier vibe. I’ve been here on a few occasions, but 100% of those times during the evening when the interesting folk congregate and celebrate their appetite for beer and spirits.
If you’re into it, the left portion of the joint occasionally has live music performances. I wasn’t able to catch a full sessions on the days that I went by, but it seemed crowd pleasing from what I was able to observe. It’s nice to have free live music performances anywhere these days, and especially where you can grab a drink with friends and enjoy it at the same time. They also have an expansive outdoor patio area that’s perfect to enjoy some crisp fresh air and also smoke cigarettes to your heart’s delight, a rare feat in the Los Angeles, and even rarer with bars.
The beer selection is decent. I was able to get my favorite motor oil imperial stout: old rasputin from their stock, which impressed me. The bartenders are really on point and they make sure to check and see with you if everything is satisfactory before moving on to the next paying customer, which is something I do appreciate.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to sample the food, but overall I’d be back just for the cool vibes and great location.
Tip: There’s usually free parking, but when it gets really packed make sure you bring a few bills to pay for self-​parking.

I’ve only been here for happy hour, and it rocks. Their cocktails are deliciously crafted and they’re only $ 8 for hh. It’s located in the arts district and guess what, they have a parking lot! Their food is also good (burgers and fried goodies) and it’s really good for a group of people if you wanna grab some drinks after work. I hear they do live music too so I can’t wait to come back and check that out. Overall, I dig the deals and the ambience. Can’t beat it.

NYE: my original plans included going to an event with an open bar for $ 25 in DTLA (too good to be true). Of course, the event got shut down — totally illegal with the weed bar and the bouncers forgetting to check out ID (!!!). My friends and I were not going to let this shut-​down event ruin our evening to celebrate the new year.
Enter Villains Tavern! 8 minute drive from where we were, easy parking, no cover. Bar with lots of people, and a LIVE BAND!!! The band was some sort of rock band that did covers of top 40s and classics!!! I wish I got the name of the band, because they were amazing — they sang covers of Justin Timberlake, Ed Sheeran, R. Kelly, whoever sang the classic «Shout,» and did mashups with all sorts of songs with various genres combined. When the band took a break for the evening, a DJ took over playing dance/​top 40s hits of the past decade.
It was super crowded of course, but it was a cool, diverse crowd of people in their late 20s, everyone having a great time. At around 15 to midnight, they passed everyone a plastic glass of champagne for free, and we all cheered and counted down at midnight. Wow. Free champagne!!! The night could not get better. I had a pale ale which wasn’t the best, but they had lots of beer on tap and mixed drinks, so I wouldn’t be concerned if I returned. My beer, and my bf’s gin and ginger, came out to $ 16 total. Steal!!!
Midnight came, then my heels started killing me, so my bf and I left. I wish I had stayed longer though!

Spent nye here. Place was in a shady area of LA and small. As soon as the place got more and more packed, it seemed like any other hipster bar. Drinks, food, live music, Mason jar filled drinks were fantastic. Only things I disliked were the huge wait for a one room bathroom because the second one broke down, and how cold it was the whole night because the place is actually held up by canvas tents to cover the whole place. They could use a few more heat lamps but the place is already small.
And shortly after the countdown I discovered my purse was missing from my table. After almost an hour of searching and talking to several people at the place, thankfully Brian who was working the door saved the day and returned my purse to me with all the contents still inside. I am forever grateful for the honesty of the staff and Brian’s persistence to help me.

This bar is not in the center of Downtown Los Angeles, but a bit out of the way. It’s not a bad place to see once on your travels, but not a must. Your drinks come out of a jar if you order beer. Service can feel a little rough at times and when the place if it is crowded. They do have live music at times and that makes for a better atmosphere. The place looks like a mix of goth /​hipster /​biker bar. The cost is a bit higher then the norm of most bars in downtown when it comes to mixed drinks, but they are pretty strong, so you do get your money worth. It’s not a must see bar, but a bar you could visit if you’re in that area late at night.

This hip, cool Arts District bar would be much more pleasant without the pungent smell
of the nearby LA River.
Eileen L.‘s REFVIEW for Villains Tavern
RELEVANT INFO
* A chill, casual bar tucked in an obscure parking lot in the industrial part of DTLA with an L-​shaped interior and an outdoor patio that is heavily clouded with cigarette smoke
* Live rock band performances on select nights
* HH 5:30 PM — 8:00 PM
* Line to get in grows longer as the night matures — we got there at 11:00 and the line started at the outdoor patio area
* Parking’s never easy in Arts District, but there is a manned valet lot in front
EXPECTATIONS
* An Arts District bar… ’nuff said
FOOD
* Sweet Potato Shoestrings ($ 7) were addictive
VALUE
* Standard DTLA cocktail prices $ 12+
* Late Night food menu $ 5-​$ 9; $ 13 Trio platters
* Dinner $ 11-​$ 18
IMPRESSION OVERALL
* Tbh I was put off by the conspicuous stench of the LA River, which did dull slightly by the end of the night… probably because my nose had gotten used to the smell. bleh… or that the wind changed direction
* Smell aside, this is a really fun bar to hang out and enjoy good food, booze, and music
ENVIRONMENT /​AMBIANCE
* A Western-​themed bar with elements of the Prohibition Era
* Dark amber lighting
* Rowdy live music on weekend nights with an equally rowdy crowd
WOW FACTOR
* Cocktails in mason jars
* Kitchen closes 1:30am Fri-​Sat

Villains Tavern is in the middle of nowhere in DTLA which means there is plenty of street parking, YAYYYYY! I enjoyed the live music and chill vibes. Yes, the crowd is hipstery but what crowd isn’t nowadays? The drinks are poured with a heavy hand and are decently priced ($ 12 – 13). Though, I do not recommend their specialty cocktails. Most are made with simple syrup or taste too sugary for my liking. I ended up getting a lemon drop martini and Moscow mule which did not disappoint. I must add the presentation is awesome, most drinks are served in a mason jar or with a big ball of shaved ice on top.
Going back to the live music… Felice LaZae and her band were incredibly talented and the singer herself was extremely sweet. Her voice was very soulful like Amy Winehouse (one of my favorite artists). It is difficult to chat it up with your friends while the music is playing so it’s awesome stepping outside to have a real conversation.
It was a fun Friday night so I definitely plan on coming back. I’m eager to try the food as well :)

Such a hidden treasure in downtown’s Arts District! Villain’s Tavern has an eclectic vibe with a touch of circus with American Horror Story freak show feelings going on. Lots of funky beats were played tonight from a stellar band called Fuzzy Crystals, and the cool crowd certainly knew how to get down with their dance moves. Free street parking was plentiful and drinks were also delish. Super rad.

Tonight was my third time here and I came in with an open mind. The first couple times I didn’t have great experiences for minor reasons but my friends LOVE this place so I figured third time’s a charm!
The first bartender who helped us was decently friendly. Tuesday night so it was a fairly empty house and I appreciated that he didn’t rush me. I ordered the ‘bartender’s choice’ cause I wasn’t craving anything in particular. He made an interesting drink and I was content.
Fast forward to my third drink– it’s 11 pm or so and we’ve been here a couple hours. I go to the bar and take a couple minutes to look at the menu. A different bartender says ‘we have a really good whiskey sour,’ obviously trying to get the ball rolling on my order, I get it. I ask if he can make me a Lynchburg Lemonade instead (I’m also a bartender and thought this was a regular drink, my bad). He scoffs, rolls his eyes at the other bartender, and asks what’s in it. I tell him jack Daniels, triple sec, sour and 7 up. He looks at the other bartender and says ‘what does she want I can’t hear her.’ The other bartender translates.
‘We don’t have triple sec,’ he snarls.
‘Oh. Okay,’ I say, mostly surprised that a bar as extensive as theirs doesn’t have triple sec.
‘What’s sour?’ He asks.
I say, ‘like sweet and sour mix. Some people just shorten it to sour.‘
He then goes into a very condescending and lengthy explanation about how they DON’T have sweet and sour, that using the word ‘sour’ implies that I just want citrus or lemon juice in my drink, etc.
Now I’m confused because he had earlier offered to make me a whiskey sour… How would he make that without sweet and sour mix or some house made sweet and sour? Sighhh.
‘Can I just get a rum and diet coke then?‘
Paid $ 18 for for a watered down rum and coke and my friend ordered a Jameson and ginger ale which definitely was not what she got. Unfortunately, we were both focused on the bartender’s bad attitude and not what he was making. I still tipped him because I’m a bartender and I get it, but I wish we just didn’t go here at all. My friends no longer care to come here after that whole unnecessary debacle.
Sorry for the long review, just the way we were being talked to made us pretty uncomfortable. Live music was great, bouncer was super nice, but that one bartender was unfriendly enough to outshine all that goodness.

Seriously such a chill vibe, outdoor patio lit up with cute lights and a little patio bar, inside where the bands played was my favorite area. Everyone is older, classy and a great amazing romantic mix of good music! Several attractive men, nice happy people and drinks. I love that they allow food trucks in the lot and how it’s a little hidden gem. The décor inside isn’t what you would expect from the exterior at first glance. The doorman was nice and I felt at home here for the most part. Really enjoyed the atmosphere, candlelit, it just gave me that warm fuzzy feeling! Definitely will be back and I will possibly be frequenting !
Only thing is drinks are tiny, not strong but highly priced. And sometimes bar service is kind of slow. Take off one star for that.

Although location is not widely known you can count on fresh ingredients and awesome drinks at this bar. They have really good cocktails and for the summer I love the shaved iced in the cocktails that make it more refreshing.
The music is just right and the atmosphere is very chill back cool that make you want to stay longer. The staff is friendly and they at least have 2 restrooms for women! That is absolutely better than most places with long lines.
Enjoy a drink with great atmosphere. Cheers

The space and atmosphere is cool, but god, the drinks and bartenders are awful. Did I really pay $ 15 a drink for these nearly-​booze-​free, mediocre cocktails, and on top of that, wait like 45 minutes for one?
That drink that looks like shaved ice is not good. The drink itself is bad, and the ice on top really does NOTHING — it just gets in the way and falls on people. I don’t even know why it’s there other than the fact that it looks cool. The only semi-​decent drink was the jalapeño-​infused one, but really guys, it shouldn’t take your bartender 30 minutes to make one (5 minutes is understandable, but really, 30???)

This review is based on the space and drinks. Plenty of places to set your drinks and order! I ordered the Bella Donna and Stan Lee and enjoyed both. Prices are pretty fair and the live band sets a nice tone. It’s a bit like a dive bar feel.

Villains Tavern reminds me of a traveling circus with good music and none of the hocus pocus. Mostly due to the tent pole exterior, the majority of the bar is outdoors which is great on a warm summer night.
Although I do not recall exactly how I found this spot but remembered the neon Lucky Brand sign across the street. The area itself looks like a scene for a ghost town in an old film and out of the blue lies this spot.
Like a mirage appearing as the dust clears and the glow lights up the sky. Inside is filled with an eccentric bunch of kids jamming from bluesy to rocking country music. Check out their schedule or go without knowing, be surprised to something brand new.
Drinks alone were good, bartenders are very friendly and interactive. Some are even frank and tell you what may taste like crap which pretty much was none. At first I was adventurous and decided to tryout their peanut butter brew, yes obsessed with sweets. Would I try it again? Only if eaten with fresh bread perhaps.
At the end of the night, I left content as I stumbled down to the car. No didn’t drink and drive, in fact the chica drove me to our next spot which was grub. Great place to start or end the night.

What a kick-​ass spot. In a good way.
First off, I never would have found myself down here if it wasn’t due to my temp work which brought me to this part of downtown LA. An area I know next to nothing about. Originally, I thought this was a production set of some sort, then I heard that since so many things film down that way, it was the perfect place to cap off a night of shooting.
There’s a stage to the left side of the bar, and plenty of patio seating within. They do serve food, but I usually only see people drinking. Bartenders are on point, and there always seems to be a decent crowd.
If I find myself down here again, I’ll be stopping by–

People have been telling me to visit Villains for years. «You’ll love it!» they said. «Oh my god you haven’t been? Get there now!» they said. FINE YOU GUYS I FINALLY WENT. And now… I get it.
Had someone told me that Villains was more than just a place with good drinks mayyyyyybeeee I would have gone sooner. Lots of places have good drinks. Maybe I need more articulate or verbose friends, I dunno. In their defense yes, the drinks were quite tasty and packed a punch. But Villains rocks an entire vibe that pulls itself out ‘just another good mixology place’ and into another more elite league.
I rather like the fact that Villains is downtown yet still off the beaten path. Near a bridge underpass, darkly lit industrial area, old style building. Its coolness speaks by not needing to be in the middle of all the bustle downtown, they’re happy right here out of the way where randoms can’t just stumble in while crawling downtown.
I get it. The quasi-​dark feeling of the neighborhood paired with such a cool establishment and crowd with live music reminds me a bit of some bars in San Francisco I enjoyed when I lived in the Tenderloin district. Sometimes a slightly shady neighborhood keeps away the bros, know what I mean? And **major** bonus points for having Fernet on tap, talk about pleasant surprise. I think I actually clapped my hands with glee as I yelled «Fernet on tap!» and the bartenders were jazzed to see another fan in the house. One did a shot with me just to salute how dope it is to have Fernet on tap and at the ready like that.
I dig it. Really. I need to roll back on an off night for some live music, a Friday night was great but I feel like I could really have some good times with a little more relaxed energy.
Sorry it took me so long to visit you, Villains. That’s my bad. Well, mine and all the people that neglected to share the fact you had Fernet on tap. So I guess it’s our collective bad.
Cheers.

Came in tonight for happy hour tonight (St. Patty’s Day) and we were so disappointed that they didn’t have green beer! They made it up to us with $ 4 Guinness! We also ordered fries and chicken skewers! The fries were amazing… Super spicy and full of flavor! Must order! The chicken was also very flavorful. Since they are very close to my work, I will definitely be returning!!!
Cons: a little pricey and parking can be difficult. Tonight, we had to park on the streets because they were filming something in the area and the crew took over their parking spot!

I LOVE THE AMBIANCE!
Such a cool place to bring a small group of friends or a date. I’ve been trying to explore DTLA area more lately and this was a great first place to go! When you step in, it feels like you are in a secret apothecary place that’s also hipster/​cool at the same time. I don’t consider myself hipster at all, but sometimes I’m drawn to these kind of places. The people you meet are always interesting, and the bartender just MIGHT even have an awesome mustache :)
HAPPY HOUR FOOD: No more brussel sprouts!!! I saw pics of it on Unilocal!and wanted to try it but they no longer had it on their menu :((((
FYI it opens at 5:30 pm, at least on Thursday when I went for happy hour time. Their happy hour menu is quite limited, but if you’re not picky, I’m sure you can find something you like. I’m glad we were one of the first ones there though because there was only one bartender/​waiter taking our order at the bar. After we ordered, he made the drink right there in front of us so it slowed down the line quite a bit. The line was starting to get pretty long with several small groups of people before a second guy came to help out.
I had a burger and drink, and my friend ordered the chicken skewer and fries. They forgot her sauce but she said it was really delicious even without it. I like veggies so I asked to have tomato and lettuce on my burger — they said no. wahhhht? ok haha… they were pretty strict about that. They said it was b/​c there’s some special pickle thing on it and you can’t add any toppings. The burger was pretty good, but I still felt the L/​T were lacking for some added freshness.
The drinks were strong and tasty! I had the strawberry basil one (vodka based) and my friend had the other pink one (forgot the name) which was whiskey based. I loved the snow on top!
LOCATION/​PARKING: It’s kind of in a random area of town, but the nice thing is that since it’s away from the main street areas packed with bars and stuff, the parking is better here. You can tell you’re in the art district when you look at the walls around you. As far as parking goes, we easily found free street parking since we went there so early but I can see it getting more packed at night when the venue gets more poppin’.
MUSIC: There wasn’t any yet when I was there, but I think it was just too early. I’d like to come back next time when they have music.